More realistic snowy ground effects

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Just a couple of tips to help you break up the whiteout of snow boards to give your wargaming terrain a more realistic look.
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[@ericmueller6836]

My subtitles read "trained shooter" instead of terrain tutor. Must be an American algorithm.

[@johntailby74]

Very nice trees. Mel Christmas is summer down here so all our trees are in full bloom and some are even flowering.

[@marrokwolf1600]

Awesome video man, another easier way to make the ground at the base of the tree is to hit it with a dark green wash after the grass is down. This gives you a wet darker look without using all your static grass.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Marrok Wolf I'll give it a go mate

[@belkozen]

The white acrylic paint for snow clumps was a really great tip! Another idea for plowed roads / snow piles: build up your plowed snowpiles with modelling putty, glue some smaller rocks on, and go over it with filler (spackle) to make it smooth. Then apply your snow. Don't let those joking judges reduce you to tears.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+belkozen Nice tip bud, thanks :-)

[@carthagemustbedestroyed]

Looks good! I usually do the old baking soda , white glue and white paint trick and slap it down and call it snow, but adding the extra's looks great!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Steepled Hat Studios The simple tips are always the best bud :-)

[@paulgibbons2320]

Love to see you approach an autumninal board Mel. With leaf litter/barron trees an stuff. Would be great. Snow Fx looks great.

[@Kinnamon100]

Love the ideal if mixing snow with the ground cover. Frosted grass AWESOME!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Kinnamon100 I thought that was quite smart as well mate

[@unkhter]

lovely looking result :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+unkhter Thanks buddy

[@donnyisgrouchy5288]

Ooooo Christmas decorations

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Justin Cote Careful!

[@terrainaholic]

Terrain Tutor to my rescue!!!!! As ALWAYS Super informative!!!!!! I'll need this SOOOOOOOON!!!!!!! Thanks a TON Buddy!!!!!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+terrainaholic Old dogs, new tricks ;-D

[@terrainaholic]

YUP:)!!!!!

[@briceandreasson7046]

terrainaholic two terrain legends!! 😃

[@billd.iniowa2263]

Very nice Mel. Depending on the prevailing winds, sometimes trees collect more snow on one side. A whole board of trees with snow mostly on that side would look very realistic... as long as its not over-done. Also, the needles under the trees are usually brown, as they died and fell off. I would expect more dead needles instead of green/white mix. The white static grass for snow is a new one on me. Very interesting effect. You're absolutely right about breaking up the white, the woods are full of light/dark contrasts. Cheers. :-)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Bill D. in Iowa The issue with directional effects (like moss on trees), it forces you to orientate all the scatter piece in a certain direction bud, best leave that sort of stuff to the dioramas

[@billd.iniowa2263]

True. Just a thought. Cheers.

[@jjab99]

Nice one Mel, I love your new Christmas ornaments, will you be creating a nativity for them...... er I mean a diorama? Just kidding mate, great job as always. Keep up the good work.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+jjab99 Careful! ;-)

[@DaytonaRoadster]

i was just looking for something like this for my Warcraft Scourge based undead army, thanks!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Brass 'n Barrels Firearms Channel Win! ;-)

[@HobbitTabletopLiga]

Cool... exactly what I was looking for

[@kiblams]

looks sweet fella!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+kiblams Cheers bud

[@MrJahvibe]

I like the time lapse

[@JimBCameron]

Also, re. snow, similar to mounded earth around the rim of shell holes would a subtler mound of snow around trees be an extra consideration towards realism where snow has fallen off tree branches? ( Am I overthinking this! :) )

[@IDICBeer]

Good one mate, nice Xmas decs ;)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+IDICBeer Careful! lol

[@Lythrox]

I still find the board that will always use the most money.. is Snow. there are so many light colors underneath that many people do not think about it. Rocks tend to hold Ice from the damp fall and ice can catch pigment out of the sky making a dark blue base use a black or oil or heavy wash of black to get the detail in the deep parts. Then use a light wash with grey. to bring out stone on the blue. Follow up with a dry brush of white, stop when you get the desired thickness of snow do not forget that you will put white flock over this. Then you can begin to do your effects as you see here. That makes for a truly unique board that stands out.. Last but not least after you have the snow to the thickness you would like it to appear with paint do a final wash with a light gray to catch some small shadow in your snow. Then do a last fine flock to make it look like the snow has blown in the wind. Remember the only two heavy layers should be the Bases and depending on the effect you want with the dry brush. Most of it is detail work.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Lythrox Snow boards are simply complete terrain boards with another whole load of effects on them, they're not my favourite boards!

[@brabopainter8282]

Nice tips, thx for it.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Brabo Painter No worries mate

[@JimBCameron]

Something I've noticed folk fail to appreciate when making snowy bases, but is it not true of grass flock too in as far as painting undercoats? Ie. wouldn't having variation in the base earth coat before flocking also lend a subtle variation to the eye even with variation in the covering flock just not trying to be overly precise between the under paint (slight blend while wet between contour tones & flock overlay?

[@gerardoleonepenta750]

Fai dei capolavori👍👍bravissimo

[@MarslArts]

You've been to the black forest in winter?

[@MurderHoboRPG]

Can you do a tutorial on frugal diy snow flock? That would be awesome.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

on the list mate

[@DerMartexus]

That looks really good! :) What about some snowdrifts and snow on one side of the trees barks?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+DerMartexus Those will be saved for a later video mate ;-)

[@DerMartexus]

Cooool. ;)

[@philc5847]

Would it be better to paint the ground a dark brown and then apply the static grass or do you think the effect would be too patchy? These snow tutorials are great by the way as I'm currently working on some snow terrain so this is all very relevant to me.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Philip Curran Probably, I was just going for a white out covering, so based in white mate

[@sethflowerdaylukeflowerday2159]

do you have any tips on flocking trees with snow, I havent had great luck with it so far any help would be very appreciated

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Drybrush with pva first, then sprinkle the scatter on mate

[@davidmartin1793]

looks great Mel and I agree with you about the grass needing to be a lot darker. patches of earth and grass will give better contrast than pure white. cost of the trees though! :-(.

[@WillMontgomery85]

+David Martin Look on eBay for trees. I got about 36 trees of different sizes for maybe $25. Trees are of decent quality.

[@davidmartin1793]

Living in the UK can be a nightmare for things like that mate. But will check later, thanks! :-)

[@billd.iniowa2263]

+David Martin I got mine at Hobby Lobby for about 30 cents each. Wait till after Christmas and they're on sale dirt cheap.

[@davidmartin1793]

You bugger bill, you know we don't have Hobby Lobby in the UK! Lol, your getting your own back :-)

[@billd.iniowa2263]

David Martin Oops, sorry bout that, didnt mean to be mean! I would think any craft store would be the same tho, wouldnt it? I KNOW ya got them. :-)

[@MiniWarzone]

Nice one :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Mini Warzone Cheers

[@SmittyM14]

I like the two static grass products. My thought on the "greener" grass under the tree would be to do three rings. Inner ring around the trunk of the tree being regular static grass you'd use for winter (minus the snow), the frosted ground static grass as the middle ring, then your snow covered for the outside ring. It should give you a good contrast and look more realistic maybe. I'm saving this for whenever I get to my dream winter board project. Oh and since we're expecting 3-6 inches of the white stuff here tomorrow I'm dreading the thought of white. LOL!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+SmittyM14 Now you're talking diorama level detail mate, good luck with that project!

[@MorganMcGinnis]

take a shot each time he says "yeah"

[@redgreen09]

well like em and yes this time year you if look at right shops you find good trees cheep say 10 in sack fore a buck or pond or will be 50p and yes be the snow ones LOL ;;;;;]]]]]

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+redgreen09 I can never find them mate

[@redgreen09]

+TheTerrainTutor well that ode me you just have look some are out after the holday some dont know if wallmart or K mart ?? gess got do that darn vid got tuns this time year HUUMM go lows or ace sorry dont know if have it but if do thay comwe in big bage and have lot of em in it thay go with houes made porsen that all can think of sorry agen thare some place just know it ;;;;;]]]

[@TheTerrainTutor]

redgreen09 They're just not a big thing in the UK mate

[@AdrianKramarzyk]

snow blind comment - you havent been in Poland in winter or Canada Mel - this is how winter looked like - now global warming changed it, still colder than UK but not much.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Adrian Kramarzyk I've been to norway in the winter bud, times are a changing

[@granttrain3553]

Mel, mate what is that terrible paperand silly headlines.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

That would be 'The Sun' lol